Elizabeth Davenport, Author at Sunny Side Up Nutrition

Why would I share a pumpkin bread recipe when there are already millions out there? I’ve made many of those recipes and this one from The Foster’s Market Cookbook that I’ve adapted over the years is my favorite. One more pumpkin bread recipe can’t hurt! Especially THIS recipe for 2 loaves of delicious, full-of-flavor, moist pumpkin bread!

How are you taking care of yourself this week?

How are you doing this week? It’s been a stressful week that’s for sure! Diving into activities that I love helps manage stress.

Baking and cooking are activities that have always helped me cope. I can lose myself in them completely. As you might guess, I’ve been baking and cooking a lot this week! One thing I’ve baked is pumpkin bread. The weather is turning chilly (sometimes) here in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) and the leaves are turning which means it’s time to bake pumpkin bread. The leaves are also turning near Lancaster, PA where I took this photo a few weeks ago during a walk with my in-laws.

Some quick breads are too sweet for me, or too dry, or not flavorful enough. This recipe takes care of all these issues and what you get is a not-too-sweet, moist, flavorful loaf (actually 2 loaves) of pumpkin bread!

This bread tastes even better the second day and the third, if there’s any left! I often freeze one of the two loaves. I like to make this in small loaf pans during the holidays and give friends four little loaves.

This recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Bread makes 2 loaves.

Breakfast and snack ideas

I love having pumpkin bread for breakfast or a snack. A simple slice of this pumpkin bread is satisfying on its own. That said, here are a few more ways to serve this delicious pumpkin bread:

Toasted and topped with salted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
Alongside a mug of hot apple cider
Toasted and topped with almond butter (or sunflower butter) and a drizzle of maple syrup
Served with a side of maple yogurt and toasted pecans
Topped with a nut butter (or sunflower butter) and thinly sliced apples
Leftover pumpkin bread (or any quick bread) works well in bread pudding

Speaking of sweets – what we say matters.

Did you have a chance to read Anna’s latest post? She writes about the importance of language around food, in particular sweets at Halloween. But, the advice in her post is relevant all year. Especially as we go into the holiday season and there tends to be more sweets around. Click here to read more on how to talk about sweets.

Posts from our November 2018 and 2019 archives

Spiced Pumpkin Bread-One More Pumpkin Bread Recipe Can’t Hurt!

A full-of-flavor, moist pumpkin bread. The recipes makes 2 loaves so you can share one or stash it in the freezer for next week.

Adapted from Spiced Pumpkin Bread from The Foster’s Market Cookbook by Sara Foster

Author: Elizabeth Davenport

Scale

Ingredients

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon + ½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon + ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

2 ¼ cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup canola oil

One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

½ cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Butter and flour two 9 x 3 inch loaf pans (or you can spray them with Pam)
Into a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Whisk to combine.
Put the canola oil, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Add the water, pumpkin and vanilla to the oil, sugar and egg mixture. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine. Don’t over mix the batter.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Check for doneness at the 50 minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the top of the loaf. If it comes out clean, the bread is done baking.
Remove the bread from the oven and place on cooling racks. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before turning the loaves out of the pans.

It’s definitely fall here in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia)! YAY! The leaves are just beginning to change and the days are getting cooler. Though we haven’t been apple picking yet, we’ll get there in the next week. Nothing says it’s fall like warm apples with homemade granola!

An East Fork Lapis bowl of Granny Smith apples

My family loves cooked apples. Both my girls still remember the cooked apples Anna’s husband, Dan made about 10 years ago when we were on a weekend trip together. They often ask me to make them. I’ve actually never asked Dan how he made them, but I will soon! See below for the recipe for how I often make cooked apples. Save the extra liquid and use it the next time you cook oatmeal or freeze it in an ice cube tray and use it in smoothies!

Diced apples cooked in water and lemon juice

My family also loves homemade granola. I’ve tried various versions over the years and the hands down winner is my adapted version of Alton Brown’s granola recipe. I’ve adapted it so it’s both sweet and just a tad salty. It’s also nice and crunchy. If you prefer it on the sweeter side, you can increase the brown sugar and use sweetened coconut according to his recipe.

Ingredients for homemade granola — Rolled oats, dark brown sugar, unsweetened coconut, almonds, pecans, maple syrup and canola oil

There’s a never ending supply of store bought granola. I’ve never found one I really love. Do you have a favorite? Let me know what it is! You can always use store bought granola over the cooked apples if you don’t want to make granola! There’s no rule that says it has to be homemade.

What better combination than still-warm (or reheated) cooked apples and granola? It’s sort of a deconstructed apple crisp! (I have an amazing recipe for apple crisp that I’ll share sometime soon, too). This granola is easy to make and it makes your house smell incredible!

Homemade granola with warm apples — Warm apples with homemade granola

Did you know there are 100s of varieties of apples?

My typical favorites for eating are Honeycrisp, Johnagold and Fuji. I tend to cook with Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Mutsu. Honeycrisp and Johnathan tend to hold their shape best while cooking. So, I’d recommend one of these varieties for the cooked apples. Most recently, I made the cooked apples with Granny Smith and cooked them a little longer than intended, so the apples were more like a chunky applesauce. They still tasted great!

Experiment with offering different kinds of apples

Do your children like apples? What kinds are their favorites? Offering different types of apples is an easy way to expose kids to different tastes and textures. Pre-covid, Toigo Orchards used to cut up all the varieties of apples they bring to our farmers market for people to sample. I miss seeing kids at that table sampling the different varieties. What a fun and low pressure way for kids (and adults) to try different varieties!

More ideas for serving cooked apples and granola:

A side dish with quiche or other eggs at any meal
Top pancakes, waffles or cooked (or baked) oatmeal with the apples and granola
Topped with plain, vanilla or maple yogurt
Top with your favorite vanilla ice cream

Have you read Anna’s most recent post?

Did you have a chance to read Anna’s most recent post? She shares important information about weight stigma and what parents need to know about it, here: 3 Facts Parents Need to Know About Weight Stigma

Did you know we also have a Podcast? You can listen to all our episodes here.

From the October Archives:

Warm Apples

Granny Smith apples in an East Fork Lapis bowl

These delicious, cinnamon scented apples are cooked on the stove top and make a great topping to my granola. Save some of the cooking liquid to use the next time you make oatmeal!

Author: Elizabeth Davenport

Scale

Ingredients

3 lbs of firm apples (Johnathan or Honeycrisp) peeled, cored and diced

1-2 cinnamon sticks

Squeeze of lemon juice from ½ a lemon

A splash of apple cider if you have some

2 cups of water

Instructions

Peel, core and dice the apples
Place them in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover them. Add 1-2 cinnamon sticks depending on whether you want a subtle or prominent cinnamon flavor.
Add the lemon juice and apple cider (if you have some).
Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once the liquid comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium low and allow the apples to simmer until they’re just cooked and still hold their shape.
If you prefer the apples to break apart, you can cook them longer.
Remove the apples from the liquid and allow them to cool.
Keep the cooking liquid and use it for cooking oatmeal.

Homemade Granola

This crunchy, nutty granola is made with dark brown sugar and maple syrup. It tastes great on it’s own or topped with warm, cooked apples. It’s adapted from Alton Brown’s granola recipe.

Author: Elizabeth Davenport

Scale

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chopped unsalted almonds (you can also use sliced almonds)

¾ cup unsweetened coconut

¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup

¼ cup canola oil

1 cup chopped dried fruit (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 250 F.
If you need to chop the nuts, place them in a food processor and pulse 3-4 times until they’re chopped. Alternatively, chop the nuts with a knife on a cutting board.
Combine all the dry ingredients and nuts in a large mixing bowl.
Add the oil and maple syrup and stir to evenly coat the oat mixture.
Spread the oat mixture evenly on 2 half sheet pans.
Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Feel free to give the granola a stir once or twice during the baking. Though I never stir it and it turns out great.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. If you want to add dried fruit, now’s the time. I dont’ add dried fruit because everyone in my house prefers the granola without.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container.